Saturday, January 2, 2010


I have been working on this Oil Painting, SHOSHONE WINTER, 20"X30", for about a month off and on. It is one of my Yellowstone series I am working on. I have not put any wildlife into it but am still considering doing so. It depicts the North Fork of the Shoshone River that headwaters for the most part in the Yellowstone eastern border area and flows eastward towards Cody, Wyoming. The Indians and early mountain men refered to this river as the Stinking Water River. As it flows through the Cody area it picks up a lot of Hydrogen Sulfide gases which in high quantities can be deadly but otherwise smells like rotten eggs.
None the less it is a beautiful Stream and in winter is very clear. Spring runoff at lower elevations can be high, roiling and muddy.
The real challenge in this painting was the trees on the mountain slopes. How to make them look realistic without being too contrived or taking over the painting.

9 comments:

Krista Hasson said...

It is beautiful just the way it is, but if there was wildlife it would be even better, there is just something about paintings with wildlife that are magical, and you paint them so well!I love the bear below this post, nice job :)

m1 Designs said...

This is a wonderful painting. I so enjoyed my last visit to that area. The framing of the bear painting is stunning. Well done on both.

Debra Keirce said...

This is a wonderful composition. I love your bright colors. I always have the hardest time muting the backgrounds to achieve that depth in landscapes. I love how you managed to keep the background bright, yet realistic looking Gary.

Karen said...

Beautiful work as always

Anonymous said...

hi Gary I know you said the real challenge was the trees and mountain slops but that water looks cold and wet and moving reasonably fast to me. that fascinated me. r.

Gary Keimig said...

I didn't have any trouble doing the water though I am still thinking of some fixing up on it befor I call it finished. That back ground though was a bugger. It is so easy to get involved in detail which I wanted but didn't want it to look too contrived.

Carol Brown said...

I love how you handled the mountain. The tree line has a musical flow to it that draws the eye and the detail does not disappoint. I've been needing an example of how to do a wooded mountain well. But to me, the pinkish-orange grasses wrap the whole image up in a bow.

Gary Keimig said...

Thanks Carol and all for your kind comments.
Yes, Carol I thought I really neded that orange to do just as you said. I am still contemplating a Moose or some such but just can't yet bring myself to do so.

Unknown said...

Looks like I have missed a few over the Christmas break.

This is so beautiful. I won't think of the smell. Like in NZ Rotarura where they have hot water springs with sulphide gases... It's quite a nauseating smell.

I love this one... has something special about it. Your works are all amazing.